Interstate 35 Citizens' Advisory Committee Public Outreach: Business Listening Session Results: Work performed under TxDOT RMC 0-6581, Task 11

The Texas Transportation Commission created the Interstate 35 (I-35) Citizens? Advisory Committee to develop alternatives to meet current and future needs of the I-35 corridor. In support of this objective, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute conducted an outreach program that consisted of focus groups with the public, and meetings with various representatives from the business sector that either operated from within the corridor or that regularly traversed I-35 to transport their products. This report states the results of four listening sessions with the business sector. Participants suggested improving and/or providing more traveler information, improving the use of alternate facilities, and making geometric fixes. There was unanimous support for ending diversions, and strong support for increasing and/or indexing the gas tax. Several participants opined that other ideas such as vehicle miles traveled fees must be explored now because the gas tax would not be sustainable in the future due to the growing market for hybrid and other highly fuel-efficient vehicles.